Safety control for valve

Abstract

Safety device for controlling a valve. For application to a valve for controlling fluid flow, there is provided a normally inoperative device which the operator must consciously and deliberately render operative before the valve can be changed from one setting to another. In the illustrated embodiment, a valve activating device is held in inoperative position by suitable resilient means. To render same operative, the operator pushes the operating device against such resilient means into engagement with a desired portion of the valve for effecting the desired operation. As shown, such operating means automatically disengages only in one selected position of the valve, such as the "off" position, but remains engaged while the valve is in the other position, such as the "on" position. It is, however, possible by a simple modification to render same automatically disengageable as the valve attains either position.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. In combination, a valve assembly including a valve housing having a projecting valve stem rotatably supported thereon, the valve housing also having a mounting surface thereon, and a manually-actuated operator coacting with said valve stem for controlling the rotational movement of said valve stem between first and second positions, comprising the improvement wherein said operator includes: an elongated rod positioned coaxially with said valve stem and having noncircular means at its inner end adjacent said stem effective upon axial movement of said rod for interengaging with said stem for effecting rotational movement of said stem upon rotational movement of said rod;   first and second L-shaped support members fixedly mounted on said valve housing and slidably supporting said rod thereon, said first and second support members respectively including first and second support plates disposed directly adjacent one another and overlying said mounting surface;   said first and second support members respectively including first and second flanges extending substantially transverse to the respective support plates, said first flange being disposed adjacent said stem, said second flange being substantially parallel to but spaced outwardly from said first flange, and said elongated rod being slidably supported on and extending through said first and second flanges;   handle means disposed outwardly from said second flange and fixedly connected to the outer end of said rod;   resilient means disposed between said first and second flanges and encircling said rod for constantly urging said rod outwardly away from said valve stem into a retracted position wherein the inner end of said rod is disengaged from said valve stem; and   locking means coacting between said rod and said first flange for preventing rotation of said rod when said valve stem is in said first position and said rod is in its retracted position, said locking means including an opening in said first flange and a projection fixed to said rod and positionable within said opening for preventing rotation of said rod when it is in said retracted position, said projection being removed from said opening and engaged with said valve stem when said rod is moved inwardly toward said valve stem whereby said rod can be rotatably displaced for moving said valve stem from said first position to said second position, said first flange preventing said rod from being returned outwardly into its retracted position when said rod is being rotatably moved between said first and second positions;   whereby said rod may be pushed inwardly against the resilient means by an operator into engagement with said valve stem for rotation thereof but will, in response to said resilient means when said valve stem is in said first position, disengage itself from said valve stem so that said projection enters into said opening for holding said rod nonrotatable with respect to said first flange.   
     
     
       2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said projection comprises a lug which projects radially outwardly of the rod, said opening in said first flange including a circular center portion for rotatably receiving therein said rod and an outwardly projecting radial portion for receiving therein said lug when said rod is in said retracted position, said rod having a second lug formed thereon and projecting radially therefrom, said second lug being disposed between said first and second flanges, and said resilient means comprising a coil spring disposed in encircling relationship to said rod and having one end thereof bearing against said first flange and the other end thereof bearing against said second lug whereby said rod is resiliently urged outwardly toward said retracted position, said first support plate being sandwiched between said mounting surface and said second support plate, and threaded fastener means coacting between said first and second support plates and said housing for fixedly but releasably attaching said first and second support members to said housing. 
     
     
       3. In a valve controller for a gas valve having a valve stem rotatably supported on a valve housing, the combination comprising: bracket means adapted to be fixedly but releasably attached to said valve housing, said bracket means including first and second substantially parallel flanges having substantially aligned openings therethrough, said openings being substantially aligned with said valve stem and said first flange being closely adjacent said valve stem;   an elongated rod extending between and projecting outwardly beyond the opposite sides of said first and second flanges, said rod being rotatably supported relative to said first and second flanges and having noncircular means at its inner end adjacent said stem and effective upon axial movement thereof for engaging said stem to effect rotation thereof toward or away from a preselected rotational position upon rotation of said rod;   said rod being axially slidably supported on said first and second flanges when said valve stem is in said preselected position, said valve stem being axially movable inwardly into an engaged position wherein said inner end is engaged with said valve stem to permit rotation thereof;   spring means disposed between said first and second flanges and encircling said rod for urging said rod outwardly into a retracted position wherein the inner end of said rod is disengaged from said valve stem;   a noncircular opening within said first flange for receiving said noncircular means upon retraction of said rod into its retracted position, said noncircular means being received within said noncircular opening when said valve stem and said rod is in said preselected rotational position for permitting retraction of said rod to disengage same from said valve stem, said rod when in said retracted position being held against rotation by said noncircular means being engaged within the noncircular opening in said first flange; and   handle means fixedly connected to the outer end of said rod and spaced outwardly from said second flange.